Hans Heitzinger (Scottsdale, Ariz.) set a new school record in the men's 5000 meter run, finishing the race in 15:17.29. Heitzinger, lowering his own record by almost 12 seconds, is coming off a strong cross country season in which he was the team's top finisher in four races and helped the men's squad finish in second place at the Great West Conference Championships.
"I was really impressed with Hans's tenacity on the track tonight. We talked before the meet about what was realistic and he was confident enough in himself to go for it. With only a couple of workouts under his belt so far, there is a lot more to be seen by him as the track season progresses," head coach Trisha Steidl said.
The men's distance medley relay team also broke the previous school record, as Chris Auld (Eugene, Ore.), Jabari Fraser (Bethesda, Md.), Dan Auld (Eugene, Ore.), and Kelton Sears (Maple Valley, Wash.) combined to post a time of 10:34.37, almost three seconds faster than the previous standard.
"This was a great race to watch. These guys wanted it and really went after it. The most exciting thing is that this is a very young team - all freshmen and sophomores. I can't single anyone out of this group that 'made it happen.' This was a strong group effort, with 100% given by each individual," said Steidl.
The women's distance medley relay quartet of Sarah Bolce (Sacramento, Calif.), Rachel Yorkston (Bellingham, Wash.), Jennifer Stolle (Seattle, Wash.), and Alyssa Lout (Tempe, Ariz.) also ran well in their event, finishing the event in 13:00.31. It was the first action of the indoor season for Yorkston and Stolle.
"Jennifer and Rachel started their indoor seasons on the track tonight not knowing exactly what their fitness was and not having run on a track in quite awhile. Both ran very well for their first time out and coupled with the efforts from Sarah and Alyssa, made for a good overall effort. I believe this group will get faster as the season progresses," Steidl said.
Seattle University will continue its participation in the UW Invitational Saturday, with the running events beginning at 9 a.m. with the 3000 meter run and the field events starting at 10 a.m. with the long jump.